No. 12 Angelo State Lands 10 All-LSC Honors; Beck Named Academic Player of the Year

TYLER, TX — The No. 12 Angelo State baseball team earned 10 postseason honors Wednesday as the Lone Star Conference announced its annual awards at the league’s postseason banquet.

Leading the way was Austin Beck, who was named the conference’s Academic Player of the Year.

A redshirt senior second baseman pursuing his MBA, Beck holds a 4.00 GPA and is a two-time All-Academic Team selection. He is also a multiple-time member of the Commissioner’s Honor Roll and recently received Angelo State’s Male Athletic Excellence Award.

On the field, Beck continues to build one of the most decorated careers in Division II history. The Allen native is the first player in NCAA Division II history to surpass 300 career runs scored and currently holds the record with 308. He is batting .370 with 20 doubles, seven home runs and a conference-leading 45 stolen bases.

Chase Pendley was named to the All-Defensive Team in his first full season at first base, recording a .998 fielding percentage with 396 putouts and helping turn 42 double plays.

Beck and Pendley also earned first-team All-LSC honors. Pendley hit .361 during the regular season, leading the conference with 73 hits and ranking third with 59 RBIs.

Three Rams — Garrett Baumann, Payton Bush and Brett Smajstrla — were named to the All-LSC Second Team. Baumann posted a 4.04 ERA with a 9-5 record and 60 strikeouts, while Bush hit .358 and ranked second in the conference with 65 runs scored. Smajstrla led the team with a .371 batting average and 1.122 OPS, adding six triples and seven home runs.

Nick Gray, Blake Wilhoite and Tate Greene were selected to the All-LSC Third Team. Gray recorded a 3.68 ERA and held opponents to a .172 batting average, while Wilhoite posted a .544 on-base percentage. Greene hit .330 with an .856 OPS.

Angelo State will open bracket play in the Lone Star Conference Championship on Thursday against St. Mary’s. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Irwin Field.